Car coupling



Sept. 2, 1930. D. M PEEBLES' CAR COUPLING 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 2'7, 1926 ATTORN EY Sept. 2, 1930. D. MKPEEBLE 1,715,049

CAR COUPLING Filed Feb. 2'7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A'Y-TORN B- Patented Sept. 2, 1930 DEWEY M. PEEBLES, or PITTSBURG, ILLINOIS CAR COUPLING Application filed February 27, 1926. Serial No. 91,261.

This invention relates to car couplings and more particularly toa coupling specially adapted for use in connection with cars used in mining coal and other materials.

Oneof the main objects of the invention is to provide a coupling of simple construction and operation which can be readily released without necessitating the operator entering between the cars. Another object is to provide a coupling of the character stated which can be readily applied to mine cars of standard construction at comparative lowcost. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a mine car of known type showing the coupling as applied,

I Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale of the coupling 0 applied,

. Fig. 3 is an underneath view of a car showing the coupling link and associated parts as applied, p

Fig. 4; is an end View of a car showing the coupling member and associated parts as applied, 1

Fig.5 is a side view of the coupling completed, partly in section, showing the position ofthe parts when the coupling is sub jected to pull,

Fig. -6 is a section taken substantially on line 66of Fig. 2.

Th's coupling is intended to be used in connection with mine cars C of known construction. Each car is provided with draw bars 1 and 2 fixedly secured thereto adjacent each end of the car. A block 3 is fixedly secured to the car structure adjacent the outer end of draw bar 1; This block has an opening 4 which accommodates a flexible member, such as a short length of chain 5 by means of which acoupling link 6 is connected to a guide block 7. The guide block is slidably mounted on a reduced portion 1 of draw bar 1 by means of a cap plate 8 which fits over and about the reduced portion oi the draw bar and is secured to the guide block by bolts 9 and nuts 10, or in any other suitable manner. The draw bar 1 is provided at its outer end with a head 11 having shoulders 12 with which the guide block and cap plate contact when the block is moved into its outermost position. This provides means whereby pull to which the block 7 is subjected during travel of the cars is transmitted to the draw bar 1.

A shaft 13 is rotatably mounted transversely of the car and a chain 14 is secured at one end to this shaft and is wound thereon. Hand wheels 15 are secured on the shaft at each end thereof and the shaft is normally held against rotation in chain unwinding direction by gravity pawls 16 which are mounted on the sides of the car and engage with ratchet wheels 17 secured on the shaft adjacent the hand wheels. A tension spring 18 has its inner end secured to the other end of chain 14 and its outer end secured to a short length of chain .19 which is secured at its outer end to block 7. Normally, chain It is wound onto shaft 13 to a sufficient extent to place spring 18 under tension, the spring acting to hold link 6 against the outer face of the fixed block 3. This block is provided. in its outer face, with vertical'and horizontal grooves20 and 21, respectively, extending from opening 4. The grooves 20 receive h terminal portions ofpins carried by the base portion of link 6 and disposed at right angles thereto, and the grooves 21 receive the lateral portions of the base of the link. The grooves thus cooperate with the pins and the base portion of the link to normal y hold the link in operative relation to block 3, the link being disposed in a horizontal position and extending forwardly from the block.

Draw bar 2 is provided its outer end with an L-shaped element 23 having at its lower end a horizontally disposed arm 2-} arranged in spaced parallel relation to the outer end portion 2 of the draw bar. A plunger 25 is slidably mounted in grooves 26 and 27 formed in the opposed faces of arms 2% and portion 2 01": the draw bar 2, respectively. This plunger is urged outwardly in the coupling member formed by arm and associated parts, by an expansion spring 28 confined between the plunger and arm 23 of member 23, and its outward movenient is limited by inwardly projecting flanges 29 alignment with the pinill so that the pine-an drop by gravity through link 6' and opening 33 when the plunger 2? 1s diSplaCeCl inwardly of the coupling member of draw bar 2, by entry of link -6 into-this member during the coupling operation. As soon as the plunger is forced inwardly from beneath thepin, the pin drops through the link and arm completing the coupling operatiomas in Fig. 5.

This provides simple and e'tlicient means whereby the cars can be automatically coupled together without any necessity of the operator entering between the ct. 1s, thus eliminating the greatest source of injury to miners undcr the present practice of coupling the cars by hand.

A crank shaft bearing members 85 transversely of the end of the car at which the coupling memberor draw head of draw bar 2 is located; The shaft includes'terminal crank arms by means of which the sh aft can be readily rocket. normally from either side of the car, and a con trol; crank member 36 connected by a chain 37 to the upper end of pin 31'.- W'he'n it is desired to uncouple the cars, shaft 13 is re- J eased. and is turned in a direction to unwind cnain l4 sufficiently to release spring 1870i all tension.v This releases the pull on coupling link 6, after which pin 31 s raised-into inopcrative position by shaft 34 inwhich position it is held by plunger in the manner previously described. In practice but one pawl 16 and ratchet wheel 17 are used at a time, the pawl and ratchet wheel 17 used. being those on that side of the car on which the operator is positioned, thepawl at the other side of the car being turned into inoperative position. Atter the cars have been uncoupled shaft 13 is rotated to wind the chain 14; thereon pulling link 6 toward block 3 and in operative relation thereto. 25 is of flattened V-sl'iape so that the link will be guided to the central portions of the plungerwhen the transmitted centrally of the plunger and eliminates all possibiliy of bind ng such as might occur if the thrust were aboveor below the center of the plunger; The coupling means constructed in the manner illustrated and described is automatic during the cone pling operation and can be readily operated operator entering between the cars at any 3% is rockably mounted in The outer face 25 of plunger coupling operation is initiated- This insures that the thrustrwill be pling and uncoupling of cars.

vVhat I claim is:

1. In a coupling means, a draw bar, a fixed block mounted forwardly of the draw bar,

a guide block slidably mounted on the draw bar, coupling link, a flexible member for interconnecting said coupling link and said guide block, said fixed block-having an openng therein through which sa d fiexlble member maybe extended, rotatable means havmg a flexible member wound thereon, means for time, an important consideration in the couholding said rotatable means against rotation in'one direction, and tensioning means arranged in said flexible means intermediate said rotatable means and saidlguide block whereby said tensioning means mayact on said guide block; to urge saidguide block ina direction away from said fixed block,.the urging action imparted. to said guide block being transmitted through said first. named flexible member tosaid coupling link to hold I I said coupling link against said fixed block. 2. In a coupling means, a drawbar having a slot formed therein, a'fixed blockhaving an opening therein mounted forwardly of said drawbar, a guide block, means; mounted in the slot in sand draw bar for-sup'portmg sald guide block, said fixed block having recesses formed in the forward facet'hereof, ajcoupling link having outwardly projecting pins thereon, arflexible member extended through. the opening in said fixed block between said coupling link and said guide block, a rotatable shaft, a flexible member connected to said 7 guide block and disposed for winding onsaid rotatable shaft, ratchet and pawl means for holding said shaft against movement to prevent unwinding of saidfiexible means, a tensioning member in said last-named'flexible means, said tensioning member being placed under tension when. said flexible member is wound on said shaft to urge said guide blockrearwardly whereby said flexible member extended between said guide block. and said coupling link will urge said coupling link toward said fixed block todispose said pins on sa1d coupling l nk in the recesses H1; said 7 fixed block to hold said coupling. link ina predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I a'liixmyfsigiiatureu- DENEY M. 

